Bandit King

A little short on players this week – a few players away and a few confused by all my emails!

The party awoke after a reasonable rest in the guards quarters. Somehow no-one suffered worse than a few lice bites and the spell casters were able to learn new spells.

The party decided to explore the 2 passageways to the west before making a decision on whether to return to town or stay on.

Bandit King

After initially exploring the lower of the two tunnels some premonition caused them to change tack and explore the upper passage.

Sempre initially thought he might have found something in the passageway but couldn’t locate anything definite.

The following room was a macabre and horrifying sight. A partially dismembered and decomposing Halfling was nailed to the wall and human and demi-human skulls hung from the ceiling by fine chains. The single word Narrimunth was painted on the wall in blood but was missed initially as the dried blood was barely visible on the dark walls. Narrimunth! The Dark Lord of Pestilence and Disease! Incense and strong perfume barely masks the smell of rotting flesh, dried blood and faeces. What foul purpose does this room serve? Four straw mats suggest that someone even sleeps here… Kurdz and King Iskander pull the Halfling rom the wall intending to lay him to rest in a somewhat more dignified pose but the body falls and lands on King Iskander causing him to retch and vomit. Kurgdz laughs and finishes laying the Halfling’s remains down while the rest of the party back out of the room trying not to laugh too hard at the scowl on King Iskanders face.

The following room contained three giant rats! Angry, hungry rats nearly 3 feet in length attack the party. Kurdgz takes a bite to the bicep before the rats are dispatched. Also in this room is a 3 foot high granite statue of a rat! Sempre struggles to carry the statue but the players believe it may have some value.

Taking a breather in the corridor Sempre again searches and discovers a secret door in the South wall. King Iskander and Deacom discover the door is trapped and work out how to disarm and avoid the arrows – all five of them.

Source: http://www.travelblog.org/Photos/1399945

On entering the room they realise this room has lain undisturbed for many years – maybe decades! A large stone coffin lies in the centre of the room flanked by wrought-iron candelabra with glowing orbs of light floating above the candelabra – what strange magic is this? Sempre Petra looks at the stone workmanship and wracks his brains and wonders could this be the tomb of Genera Heurin? The great General who fought back the last major Giant invasion some 50 odd years ago and who was later killed by a foul assassins blade? King Iskander declares his intention to open the coffin and along with Sempre Petra, Kurgdz and Sir Granford they lift the heavy stone lid. The skeletal remains of a large human lie within. His helm and armour are pitted and rusted but a magnificent bastard sword has defied time and remains rust free and its edge still keen. Between his feet also lies a small beautifully made wooden chest.

King Iskander claims the sword as his own and places 2 silver pieces in the skulls orbs where its eyes once rested. Thom opens the chests to find 6 glass vials of similar size and colour. These too smell somewhat of cinnamon. There is also a smaller vial containing a thick viscous dark brown liquid. Thom decides to drink it and its foul taste makes him retch. It is some type of oil and Thom has just quaffed and vomited it up. King Iskander then takes some and oils the bastard sword. There may be enough left for one more application.

The party then head back to try the lower passageway but are ambushed by a Goblin Patrol. After a short and vicious battle in which Calor is struck down the Goblins are defeated and the party moves onward.

Another strange Rat Statue! This one is an abomination – part man and part rat! This is another form of the foul god Narrimunth! Fancy scarves hang from the walls and bright rubies glint in the eye sockets of the statue. Undeterred the party quickly pilfer the rubies and the scarves and head back out. The following room appears to be the private quarters of someone important. Various trophies adorn the walls – shields bearing family heralds and other such items. Sempre recognizes the crest of the Jenneau family above the bed. This crest has not been seen in Silverton (or anywhere else) since the Jasper was killed and his wife and young child run out of town – never to be seen again. A box full of scented blue candles and a small pouch of gold are the only valuables found in this room.

The Bandit Kings Audience Chamber!

On entering this large chamber a large hairy man challenges the heroes! This must be Rez-zomar the leader of this motley bandit crew!

“I know you you are – you’ve been killing my guards! I can smell their blood on you! Tell me your names before I kill you.”

The heroes bait him a little before he reveals that he works for someone called Laurence and then orders his henchmen to attack. Even as hi gives the command he begins to transform! His nose and jaws begin to elongate and his legs and arms start to lengthen and claws sprout from his digits! Without hesitation Sir Granford takes the initiative and charges to attack this changeling! He strikes true with his Long Sword and deals the creature a flesh wound. Thom sizes up the room and calculates the odds before unleashing a sleep spell! The two henchman and Sir Granford slump to the ground afflicted by this magical malaise. King Iskander wields his new blade but misses. Calor strikes with his Heavy Flail and deals Rez-zomar a serious blow. Kurgdz leaps into the air and rams his spear into Rez-zomar as his transformation continues. The blade piercethe creatures side but even as the blade is withdrawn the wound seems to close over!

Rez-zomar snarls and lashes out at Kurdgz with a taloned hand that misses by a hairs-breadth and then whirls and strikes at Calor with his longsword! Calor is skewered upon the blade and collapses unconscious and bleeding heavily from this and earlier wounds. King Iskander then managed to strike Rez-zomar knocking him out. As he crumpled to the ground the transformation process quickly reversed.

The players tied Rez-zomar up using silken scarves that adorned the room. Once the had revived the Bandit King they attempted to question his about Laurence – who is he? where can he be found? Rez-zomar threatened the players and cursed at them before promising them that Laurence would find them and make them pay for all the damage they had done. Sir Granford, now awake, realised that the wily bandit was stalling for time and about to transform again and the party quickly knocked him out again and decided to throw him into the room with the impenetrable darkness.

Searching the room the heroes found a locked iron grate in the wall hidden behind some drapes. On closer inspection Calor realises that the iron bars are actually silver – tarnished over many years – and are inscribed with clerical glyphs and wards! Is this grate intended to keep the heroes out? Or to keep something far worse in? Beyond the grate appears to be a shaft – descending deeper into the mine.

Battle weary and in need of some healing Sempre Petra decides to try one of the other glass vials and takes a swig – he immediately feels refreshed and his wound heals itself! A healing potions – and it looks like the party may have found six vials and one gourd of the stuff!

Kurgdz slings Rez-zomar over his shoulder and the party head to the darkened room in the North. While the party try different magical light sources they are attacked by three giant rats. After killing them they hurl Rez-zomars bound body into the room and slam the door shut and head straight out of the mine!

Its early afternoon and the party should be able to ake it back to Silverton by nightfall so they head back along the forest trail – King Iskander and Kurgdz in the lead. Barely 20mins later King Iskander and Kurgdz both hear the sounds of melee coming from up ahead! They call back to the others and charge on towards the sounds. King Iskander and Kurgdz burst into a small clearing where they spy an Ogre and two Drow attacking a small group of travellers on horseback. Even as they see this the last of the travellers are killed.

Kurgdz and King Iskander momentarily debate waiting for the rest of the party to catch before deciding to try and surprise the killers. Kurgdz kills the Ogre with a single spear thrust delivering a critical hit and Calor and Kurgdz then dispatch the Drow. Deacom black then spies a Hobgoblin lurking in the tree line and shoots him with his short bow before the Hobgoblin makes good his escape despite being pursued by King Iskander and Sempre Petra.

At this point we ended the nights session. I will shortly post some news about loot from this last encounter and what happens when you arrive back in town…